It is hypothesized that chronic alcoholics possess a deficit in sensory processing and monitoring which makes them especially vulnerable to situations of sensory overload. In such situations, they will be likely to display "hyperarousal." The resort to ethanol, then, may be regarded as an attempt to dampen arousal and restore equilibrium between alcoholics and their sensory environment. In order to test this hypothesis, a series of experiments are planned whereby chronic alcoholics will be exposed to conditions of "sensory deprivation" and "sensory overload." The variables to be manipulated in these studies pertain to "information" content of the sensory stimulus, priming doses of alcohol and task situations. Measurements pertain to subjective, behavioral, hormonal, psycho-and neurophysiological variables. In addition, the large amount of data generated will also be used for a variety of empirical and quasi-predictive studies pertaining to autonomic response patterns of alcoholics.